Steam games won’t launch in Windows 10 [Full Fix]

• Steam games run without a problem for the most part but sometimes they won’t start when you try to launch them.
• This can be due to a number of reasons but mostly it’s because of the drivers.
• Bookmark our Steam page and check it often as we upload guides and fixes all the time.
• Explore our Gaming Hub if you want to stay tuned to the gaming world.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

But PC gamers use Steam even more than they use the Xbox One app, and a few of them reported that they’re unable to play steam games at all.

What can I do if I can’t launch Steam games?

1. Update your Drivers and DirectX

It won’t do any harm if you head to Device Manager, right-click on the graphics card under Display Adapter, and see if there are any Driver updates.

The same goes for DirectX, check if the latest version is installed, and if not, go to Microsoft’s website and download it.

Updating drivers manually can be a long process, especially if you do it manually, download DriverFix (100% safe and tested by us) to do it automatically.

After several tests, our team concluded that this is the best-automatized solution in order to prevent permanent damage to your system by downloading and installing the wrong driver versions.

By the way, DriverFix has a library of over 18 million drivers so finding the latest is a piece of cake for this simple solution.

After you install it, the tool will start scanning your system automatically for driver issues or updates and will provide a list of the recommended files.

The only action you are required to do is to click on the Update All button to install them in a single shot or to check the corresponding boxes for each one and hit their Update button from the right.

DriverFix

2. Verify Integrity of Game Files

1. Launch Steam.
2. Go to Library and click on Properties from the menu.
3. Select the Local files tab and click the Verify integrity of game files button.
4. Wait for the process to finish and re-launch Steam.

3. Update Windows

Microsoft pays a lot of attention to gaming and considers gamers a valuable part of the whole Windows community.

Therefore, the company includes some threats for gamers in every major update for Windows 10.

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

And besides the new features, major Windows 10 updates also solve certain issues related to gaming. In this case, our Steam issue.

So, make sure you have the latest version of Windows 10 installed on your computer, and maybe you won’t have to do anything else.

You can find the updates by starting the Settings and then clicking on Update & Security.

4. Rollback Windows

1. Go to the Settings app.
2. Click on Update & security.
3. Navigate to the Recovery tab from the left pane and click the Get started button in Go back to the previous version of Windows 10section.
4. Select the reason for going back to the previous build and click Next.
5. You’ll be offered to download the latest updates. Click on the No, thanks button.
6. Click Next to continue.
7. Click on Next once again and select Go back to the earlier build.

Note: You’ll only be able to do this if you use a Windows 10 version older than the Fall Creators Update because this option has been removed from this version of Windows.

If you’re using Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the only thing you can really do is to clean install some previous version of the system.

5. Update GPU drivers

1. Right-click on the Start button and, from the Power-user menu, select Device Manager.
2. Navigate to Display adapters and expand this section.
3. Right-click your graphics device and open Properties.
4. Select the Details tab.
5. From the drop-down menu, open HardwareIds.
6. Copy the first row and paste it into your browser’s address bar.
7. The search results should show you the exact drivers you’ll need to install.

Note: This is where you’ll need to act with caution. Drivers are often distributed by some suspicious sources and you need to avoid those like plague.

Here are the official sites where you should find your drivers:

6. Run the game as Administrator

1. Go to the Steam Library
2. Locate the game you want to run
3. Right-click the game title, and go to Properties
4. Head over to the Local Files tab
5. Click Browse Local Files
6. Find the game executable, right-click it, and go to Properties
7. Head over to the Compatibility tab, and check Run this program as Administrator
8. Save the changes and try to run the game

Note: If nothing happens when you click on the Run as administrator, take a look at this excellent guide to solve the issue quickly.

7. Run games in the compatibility mode

1. Go to Steam Library
2. Locate the game you want to run
3. Right-click the game title, and select Properties
4. Head over to the Local Files tab
5. Click Browse Local Files
6. Find the game executable, right-click it, and go to Properties
7. Head over to the Compatibility tab
8. Check Run this program in compatibility mode for:
9. Choose the operating system
10. Save the changes

9. Relocate the Steam client

1. Exit the Steam client.
2. Go to the Steam installation folder and locate the folder you would like to move (D:Steam, for example).
3. Delete all of the files and folders except the SteamApps & User data folders and Steam.exe
4. Cut and paste the whole Steam folder to the default location. Usually, it’s the following path: C:Program FilesSteam
5. Launch Steam and log into your account.

Change the default installation path

1. Open Steam
2. Navigate to your Steam client Settings menu.
3. Select Steam Library Folders from the Downloads tab.
4. Select Add Library Folder and create a new path
   
5. Right-click the newly created path, to make sure it’s set to default.

If you encountered any other Steam errors, we recommend you to take a look at this in-depth guide that will help you fix common Steam errors on Windows 10.

What is your gaming experience in Windows 10? Do you have any problems or everything runs smoothly? Share that with us in the comments, below.

Steam games won’t launch on Windows 10?

I’ve had Windows 10 for about a week now, and it seems some of my Steam games simply will not run. When I try to launch, the «preparing to launch» window flashes on the screen repeatedly and then nothing happens. Things I’ve tried include:

• Running the games in compatibility mode
• Running Steam in compatibility mode
• Updating graphics card drivers
• Re installing the games
• Looking at every damn forum on the internet on the issue to no avail

If ANYONE can help, please do. I’d really hate to revert back to Windows 8 as this is the only issue I’ve had with Windows 10 thus far.

Replies (8) 

Thank you for being a part of Windows 10.

Before we proceed, I need more information to help you better.

1. Which are all the Steam games you are unable to launch?
2. Do you get any error message/code when you try to launch the game?

If the Steam games are not working in Windows 10 then, I would suggest you to contact the Games manufacturer for further assistance and check if the Game is compatible with Windows 10.

Reference: Refer to the following Microsoft article on Windows 10 help & how-to.

Reply with necessary information and we will be happy to help you further.

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I just looked at SR4 and got the same error message.

Verifying the integrity of the game cache got both Saints Row the Third and Saints Row 4 going for me.

(R/click on the game title in your Steam Library and go to Properties > Local Files. ).

I was sure I had tested SR3, but maybe not.

— This does not work for all games.

EDIT: Fixed — Two of my Oddworld games wont run — Abe’s Exodus and Munch’s Oddysee.

The first and last in the series both run well though.

EDIT: I found that the Saints Row games will need the Verify the integrity of the game cache any time

you change the OS.

The same happens when dual booting between Win7 & 10.

EDIT: Also no longer a problem in the games I have tested to this point since the 1511 update.

— Using a Windows DPI of over 100% can also cause problems with many games. Both disk and download.

DOS based games don’t fit the screen correctly, and some early DX games don’t launch.

Most games will run using the Compatibility option .

— Disable display scaling on high DPI settings —

Some games still require that you set the Windows DPI to 100% though.

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I’ve had Windows 10 for about a week now, and it seems some of my Steam games simply will not run. When I try to launch, the «preparing to launch» window flashes on the screen repeatedly and then nothing happens. Things I’ve tried include:

• Running the games in compatibility mode
• Running Steam in compatibility mode
• Updating graphics card drivers
• Re installing the games
• Looking at every damn forum on the internet on the issue to no avail

If ANYONE can help, please do. I’d really hate to revert back to Windows 8 as this is the only issue I’ve had with Windows 10 thus far.

4 people found this reply helpful

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my steam won’t even open. Then, when I try to download it again, it says that I need to close it but it isn’t even open

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You beautiful human being. I’ve been trying for months and you fixed it. Thank you

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When I try to open the steam application it simply wont run. I get no error code or anything it just says sometimes that its updating or that its logging into your account then it closes out and dose not show any error code. My thoughts are maybe the people who made the update blocked some applications from running? Some trouble shooting that i’ve tried is: deleting and re-downloading Steam, turning off antivirus software, attempting to open the app directly from files and attempting to open the app then just waiting to see if it would load.

It would be great if this problem was fixed sooner than later because I really like windows but this is making me not like it

Sincerely- concerned customer

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